Winter's Light
by DieForPie
Summary: Holly is a winter fairy from Neverland, but has never really fit in. Maybe it's her multiple talents. Maybe it's her lack of wings. But when she decides to go to the mainland for the first time, she may find more than she was looking for. Particularly in a fun winter spirit. JackxOC, during movie, T because I don't know. Takes place mainly on Earth (why it's not a crossover).
1. Chapter 1: Icy Beginnings

A/N: Welcome, one and all, to my first story! This is a RotG JackFrostxOC romance, told from alternating third and first person perspectives. It will take place during the movie, with a back-story introductory chapter(s). The OC comes from the Winter Fairies of Neverland, but you should know this story will take time to develop the OC's background there, after which the remainder will happen on Earth. I hope you enjoy this, and feedback is always welcomed!

The night was cold in the Winter Woods of Neverland, as it always was. Everyone had gathered in the clearing beside the frozen waterfall, where the golden pixie dust fell gracefully from a branch into a pool below. The winter fairies, though tired since it was late in the evening, sat or floated excitedly in a circle near the pool. A murmur of anticipation was the only thing keeping the calm forest from silence.

'_Will it be a fairy or a sparrowman?'__'Do you think they'll be a glacier fairy?'__'I hope they're an animal-talent fairy!'_

The chatter quieted to a hush as the object of their excitement came into view: the new arrival. A single dandelion fluff seemed to appear out of the star-dotted sky and float gently into the centre of the circle where the moonlight shone the brightest. All, including the usually calm Lord Milori, leaned in on bated breath as the dust-talent sparrowman poured a cup of fresh dust over the fluff. Wonder filled the eyes of the crowd as the fluff transformed into the form of a girl lying on the ground. Slowly, she raised herself onto her hands, and facing the crowd, opened her frosty gray eyes to take in everything. Her hair cascaded down her back like a wall of white, and her pointed ears stuck out from under it. Her fair skin glowed with new fairy life. The slender girl shakily stood as Lord Milori made his way to her.

"Hello, child. What is your name?" His voice was kind and gentle, but despite this she filled with fear at his question. What was her name? Did she even have one? She glanced around, hoping to see some answer to his question, but they all the fairies just waited, growing concern on their faces. She stepped back from him, panicking, before a light caught her eye. Looking up, the moon filled her vision. So big, so bright. All her fear washed away. Then a voice echoed inside her head, certain of itself and certain of her, saying _Holly Snow. Your name is Holly Snow._

After a moment of amazement, she turned to a worried Lord Milori, and in a small voice said "Holly...Snow." He smiled, relieved and the crowd applauded, sighs running through them.

"Welcome to the Winter Woods, Holly Snow," he said. "Now is the time that we discover your talent. The different talents are here in front of you, and you will be drawn to the one that is yours." He gestured to a row of pedestals behind him. Upon each sat a different symbol. An animal, an icicle, a small and swirling cloud, a snowflake and a few others. She glanced nervously at them, unsure of what will happen. Lord Milori gave a reassuring nod and taking a deep breath, she stepped forward. Immediately, and to everyone's surprise, not one lit up.

Four did.

She stared wide-eyed as the swirling cloud, the snowflake, the icicle, and brightest of all, the frosted leaf all shone with such brilliance that the fairies closest had to turn away. When the glow died down and the pedestals returned to the earth, everyone was shocked. Never before had more than one talent been discovered. Never before had the Winter Wood been home to a multi-talented fairy. Holly turned her back to the crowd to look at Lord Milori for an answer, but her face was met with confusion of a different kind. When her back faced the crowd, gasps rang through the night. People could now see that this already special girl was surely unlike any fairy before in Neverland.

She was without wings.

**

So there you have it! My first chapter! Lemme know what you think, if there's anything to clarify, etc etc.


	2. Chapter 2: Friends? No, just friend

"WOOHOO!" I crowed as my snowy owl, Phenwick, wizzed through the air high above the Winter Woods. The wind whipped my face as I smiled, marveling at the view from high above the white landscape. Up here, nothing mattered except me, myself, and my trusty sidekick, Phenny. He slowed to a gentle glide through the air. The feeling that flying gave me was incredible. It was, for lack of a better word, fun. I would just let go and take in the freedom. Phenwick dipped lower and lower until we came to the Frost Forest. "I guess this is where we stop off for today, buddy," I patted his side, signalling for us to land.

Swooping through one of the holes in the overhang, he landed with a thud on the snow-covered forest floor stirring up the flakes. I meant to swing my leg over and hop down from his back where my saddle was, but my foot caught on the stirrup and I went face-first into the snow. Phenny let out a screech of laughter and brushing myself off, I scowled and stuck my tongue out at him. "Real nice, buddy, thanks. Meet you at home later, okay?" I told him. He hooted before I watched him take off the way we came.

I adjusted my brown hooded sweater so the three buttons in the front were centered before setting of into the forest. I always thought it was a beautiful sight to behold. Everything glittered, and far above my head, little balls of light flitted back and forth between the branches and the bushes. The one ball of light in particular I was looking for was yet to be seen.

A few minutes of walking had past and I began to get impatient. Huffing, I stopped to take another long look around. _I'm sure I'll find her at some point. No reason to be bored in the meantime, I suppose. _Shrugging, I couldn't argue with myself. To my left I found a low set bush with leaves yet to be frosted. I grinned devilishly at my new play thing. I launched myself into a run at it. At the last second, I jumped onto the highest leaf I could reach, which in this case was about halfway to the top. I might not have wings, but I'm still light and spry as fairies are! I climbed all the way to the top leaves with little difficulty due to a long time practicing. Positioning myself on a particularly sturdy branch with my top half poking out the top of the bush, I made sure I was balanced before I started. Taking a deep breath, I delicately touched the leaf in front of me, and giggled as I watched the frost tendrils grow and encase it in swirling patterns. Then the frost spread to another, and another, until pretty soon, the whole bush was encased in a glittering veil.

As I was about to climb down, a ball of light flew closer to me than they usually do. I squinted at it only to realize it was exactly who I was looking for. "Shimmer!" I called, waving my arm frantically to get her attention. The dark haired fairy landed on the ground below my bush and beckoned for me to join her there. I hopped nimbly from branch to branch before landing on the snow.

"Hey Holly, how are you?" she asked with a kind smile. Shimmer was never very good at talking to other fairies. Too quiet, too shy. I think it's why we became friends quietly. None of the other fairies talk to me either, but that's for a whole wad of different reasons.

"I'm fine, but I need to talk to you. I wanna ask a favour." I said, too eager for small talk.

"Uh, sure, what's on your mind?"

"Would you go with me to see Lord Milori? I'm gonna ask him, and I need you to back me up."

"What? Why would you ask again? He's said you can't and I think he said something about it being final."

"But that's why I need you! I need to convince him that I can do it, and it's not like he ever sees me use my talents, and you're the only fairy who's seen me use all of them, and you can tell him how good I've gotten in the past 300 winters, and I really _really_ want to go and pleeeeeease!" I whined, clasping my hands together. She looked very uncertain, but she knew how much this meant to me. It's all I ever dream about.

Finally she sighed in defeat. "You know I hate it when you use the puppy eyes... Alright, I'll take you." I jumped up and down, pulling her into a tight squeeze, "I'll do what I can, but no promises! You know how stubborn he can be. There's no guarantee he'll give the approval."

"All I want is to get the chance, and he's gonna see that." I said, my conviction rising.

Today would be the day. I'm gonna ask to go with the other fairies to bring winter to the mainland for the first time.

Later, Shimmer and I had made our way to the drop off location where we knew Lord Milori would be approving the shipment of baskets for snowflakes from the warm seasons. I walked into the clearing and she hovered beside me, looking around uneasily. My shoulders drooped and my eyes downcast as I realized why. I saw the other fairies look at me with the usual offended glances, the side-looks that asked why I was out in public. They never look for too long and pretend they didn't see me when they did as though ignoring me will make me go away. And they wonder why I amuse myself by messing with their duties, be it blowing the collected snowflakes everywhere or freezing someone's shoelaces together it's fun. Shimmer isn't used to the negative attention I bring. She's so sweet to everyone, but when she's with me people think she's just as much of a freak as me. Probably why our friendship thrives in the shadows.

In front of us lay a circle of baskets on the ice, almost done being filled to the brim with bright snowflakes. I could make snowflakes, but these weren't mine. The fairies continued working as one sparrowman went around with a clipboard scribbling notes and checking things off, muttering to himself. Quietly, Shimmer went up to him while I waited on the outside of the circle. She tapped him on the shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"WHAT THE- oh, Shimmer, you startled me! What can I do for you?" He asked, not even glancing at me. I hugged my arms around me.

"Could you please tell me if Lord Milori will be here soon?"

"Well, yes, he should be arriving to approve the shipment shortly. Ah, there he is now!"

We all looked up to see him riding his owl down to the clearing. It landed gracefully and he swung a leg over, easily sliding down. Why couldn't I be that poised? Making his way over, the other fairies bowed in respect to him. He nodded to each before turning to the sparrowman.

"How is the load today, Ildis?"

"Quite well, my lord. Almost complete. We should have it loaded with the others soon."

Smiling, he clapped a hand to the sparrowman's shoulder. Shimmer cleared her throat and gestured for me to go to her. Lord Milori walked past the man to speak with us. _This is it. It'll finally be my time!_ I couldn't control my excitement.

Seeing me behind Shimmer, his face fell.


	3. Chapter 3: Why?

Seeing me behind Shimmer, his face fell.

I tried to ignore what his look of knowing meant, telling myself this time would be different, but it became increasingly hard with every step I took towards him. Stopping so I was parallel with Shimmer, I looked him in the eye with as much confidence as I could muster.

"My Lord, I would like a word with you if you have a moment," I said, chin held high. Shimmer seemed interested in kicking the piece of ice at her foot.

"Holly, please, I have other matters to attend to, other preparations to oversee, I cannot-"

"But that's just what I want to talk to you about!" I said quickly, before he could brush me off. "Lord Milori, I wish to travel to the mainland. I want to bring winter!"

"We have discussed this, and I'm sorry, but-"

"It's been almost ten winters since the last time I asked! I have gotten so much better at using my talents! Tell him, Shimmer, how I practice everyday!" I turned to her expectantly. She apprehensively looked up, still avoiding his gaze.

"It's true, she practices a lot." I stared at her, silently urging her on, to start gushing about how amazing my skills have become, but no. She stood quiet, intimidated and without the courage to say more.

He sighed, "I'm aware that Ms. Snow spends much of her time on improvement, but my answer remains. I'm sorry." Anger welled up inside me. I'd never been so frustrated with his answer before, but after all this time, I was tired of being shoved aside without a reason.

"If you know that I'm good why haven't you let me go?!" He blinked in surprise at my outburst. Other fairies in the clearing looked up from what they were doing and I noticed some coming from the trees, but I didn't care. "Why, after all this time, am I still stuck here in this stupid forest when I am more than capable of doing half the jobs to bring winter to the mainland?!"

"Holly, please-"

"No! I've taken it for too long! I want you to tell me why. Why can't I go? Is it because I don't have wings, I won't keep up? Am I just too much of a clutz? Do you think I'm going to cause some disaster? WHAT?!"

"You don't have a place!" He boomed. I was stunned. Taken aback by his answer. The one thing I feared was the truth, but I knew in my heart it was so. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose before continuing. I could feel every eye on us. "Every other fairy has a designated talent, but you do not have any job to perform or task to take care of because you do not focus on one. Your multiple talents makes it near impossible for me to find you a role. And if I did, you would just make it harder for the other fairies of that talent, would you not?" I looked away, ashamed. "I have heard of all the trouble you make. You just can't seem to work with them. I am sorry Holly, but you are not right for the task of bringing winter to the mainland. Good day." Turning to leave, he called out, "The rest of you, return to your duties!" And mounting his owl, he flew away, taking my dream with him.

I hugged myself, willing the tears not to spill. Shimmer put a hand on my shoulder "Holly, I-"

"You didn't even try. You said you would do what you could and you did nothing. I don't want to talk to you." I pushed her away and turned to go without looking at her pleading look and outstretched hand. I was met by a crowd of fairies. Some looked away quickly and went back to whatever they were doing to pretend they weren't watching the whole display. Some continued to stare with looks of sheer dislike.

I started to walk through the crowd with my head down when I was bumped in the shoulder by a passing fairy. The sparrowman from before, Ildis I think his name was, went up to Shimmer and whispered not-so-quietly "You don't want to befriend her anyways. Just a menace, that one is. Nothing but an outsider. A freak. Just like Lord Milori said, no place here." Every word cut like a knife, but it hurt worse that Shimmer didn't object to a single one. I wanted to turn around and scream some more, tell him, tell them all, that just because they pretend I'm not there doesn't mean I'm not. I can still hear them, see their reproachful glances. Just because I'm not like them doesn't mean I don't wanna be. But I didn't say this. I was too tired. Too beaten to do anything but silently wander home.

I didn't even call Phenwick. It somehow made it worse knowing that my only true friend was an owl. Maybe it's better that way, simpler. But I made the trek back to my cottage on foot, slowly and alone. My house was on the edge of the winter forest, as far from the rest of the fairies as one could get. The solitude could be maddening, and sometimes I hated it. But now it was where they wanted me. And who was I to deny the request of so many.

Night fell just as I reached my house. It was made of fairy-sized logs with a few windows and icicle adornments of my doing that hung glittering from the frost-covered roof. It would have been very welcoming, but at the moment it just looked dark, hollow, empty. I trodded up the front steps onto the porch and as I was opening the door, Phenwick landed in the yard with a soft _thud_. I turned from the door, and ran to him, hugging his torso tightly, finally letting the tears fall. He whooed in greeting, unaware of the troubles that had me so disheartened. When I let him go, I smiled up at his big round eyes. Wiping the tears from my face I stepped back and asked him how I got so messed up.

I felt something then. A little tingle in my chest, an inkling, a pull. It had me look up at the moon that had risen, big and bright. Sighing, I asked "What am I supposed to do?" ... Silence. I hadn't expected him to answer, he hadn't since he told me my name, but I needed assurance. Some guidance. Instead, the pull inside shifted. It turned into a feeling, small and just in the back of my mind. The feeling turned into a thought, passing and it could've been fleeting, but that thought turned into and idea. Eyes growing as wide as my grin, my idea began taking the shape of a plan.

"Phenny, I think we're going on a trip!" He ruffled his feathers as he watched me race inside to gather some things. I tossed a couple extra clothes and some food into a satchel, threw it over my shoulder and raced back outside. I tightened the straps on Phenwick's saddle to make sure we were both comfortable for the long ride. When everything seemed in order, I mounted him and we took off. "Just let the moon guide us, and soon we'll be there!" I shouted over the wind as he climbed higher and higher into the night sky.

Ildis was right about one thing: I had no place here. Pixie Hollow had never been my home, not in 300 winters. So I was determined to find a new place. Instead of just going to bring winter, I would journey to the mainland for good.


End file.
